


It's Cold Outside

by ChillyHollow



Category: Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith
Genre: Gen, Office
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 12:27:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28670739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChillyHollow/pseuds/ChillyHollow
Summary: A day at work featuring the methodical, patient, saturnine Andy Hutchins
Relationships: Robin Ellacott/Cormoran Strike
Comments: 10
Kudos: 54
Collections: The Big Reveal





	It's Cold Outside

The last two days had been unusually cold for early February in London, with sleet and highs dancing around freezing.As Andy Hutchins climbed the metal stairs to the Denmark Street office he thought Pat’s insistence that they put weather stripping around the loose windows of the little office on Denmark Street had been unusually prescient.But of course Pat was stuck in the office all day,so the wind whistling through the window frames would bother her much more than it would him.Andy was only there occasionally.At least it wasn’t raining inside, he thought gloomily, assuming the roof of the old building hadn’t sprung a leak from all the rain.He opened the office door and found Pat and Sam huddled around the kitchen counter.Pat was pouring hot water on tea bags in mugs.When he came in, Sam looked over his shoulder and took another mug down from the shelf and dropped a tea bag in it.Pat automatically emptied the kettle into the third mug. 

Sam’s beaky nose was red and his cheeks pink from the cold.Andy wondered if hehimself looked as miserable as Sam did.Of course Sam’s baby was keeping him up at night as she teethed.Andy was glad his girls were way past that sort of thing although in a short time Andy was sure he’d be awake waiting for them to come home from dates.If it wasn’t one thing, it was another when you were a parent.He collected his mug from Pat with a nod of thanks and sat on the sofa next to Sam. They both sipped their tea, relaxing.From behind the closed door of the inner office Strike’s deep voice could be heard.Andy cocked an eyebrow at Pat who said, “Conference call with Two Times.”She blew on her hot tea. 

Another set of feet clattered up the stairs.It was Michelle, younger than the others present and athletic, wrapped up in a wooly hat, scarf and matching gloves that her mother had knit.They looked warm.Pat had taken to wearing fingerless gloves in the office this week to keep her hands warm as she typed.Strike had bought the office two floor warmers, rubber mats that plugged into the mains and created a warm spot under a desk to park icy feet.Pat kept hers on all the time.Strike unplugged the one under the partners desk he shared with Robin when they weren’t around, which was often these days.The detective agency was very busy right with the After Christmas Rush of people who suspected their partners of cheating or hiding assets against the looming divorce everyone could see coming.

Andy listened as Sam and Michelle traded news and Pat typed up their verbal report to share with Strike and Robin, then Andy added his own news.Pat’s fingers were flying even in the gloves.Andy wondered idly how fast she typed.He’d been pretty quick a typist in his police report days but Pat was the fastest he’d ever seen, not that he’d paid much attention to the typists when he was a young, healthy policeman.He was newly married then to the woman of his dreams, not fifty with uncertain health.His eyes had never strayed from his wife, though. He was a lucky man to have her.He idly watched Michelle sip her spiced chai latte.She was addicted to them and usually brought one back to the office when she’d been out tailing someone.Their in-office hot drinks only ran to hot chocolates when it came to fancy.Normal choices were tea or instant coffee.Of course Pat stocked real cream in the tiny frig.

The inner office door opened and their boss appeared, large and bear-like, even more massive than usual in a heavy fisherman’s sweater worn over his shirt.He filled the kettle and turned it on to brew himself tea.Pat handed over his phone messages.He flipped through them while listening to what Michelle had to say about the person she’d been trailing all day.Andy and Sam had some news, but not as much as Michelle, who had gotten lucky and managed good photos of the cheating wife she’d been following in and out of the shops all week.Pat opened a new packet of biscuits and passed them around.Andy took one, although he usually was very careful about his diet, but in this cold a little sugar wouldn’t come amiss.Strike took three and everyone else took two. 

Andy thought how lucky he’d been to get this part-time job as he munched his biscuit.The team was a good one and the bosses were fair, not to mention excellent at the detecting business and understanding about his health issues.Andy himself had been mentioned in the news stories about their latest high profile case although he’d dodged the cameras.Even though he was nondescript, he didn’t need photos of himself floating around.That made the job a lot harder.He finished his biscuit and listened to Sam’s story about his baby’s first steps.She sounded like a corker, that kid.She’d keep Sam on his toes, that one.

Speaking of corkers, Andy’s other boss arrived.Robin was bundled up in a heavy coat, a wool hat, a warm scarf and lined leather gloves.She dumped her wet umbrella in the stand and proceeded to unwrap herself, revealing wool slacks and half boots and a thick blue wool sweater over a turtleneck.She was a very attractive woman, but you wouldn’t know that as bundled up as she’d been. Of course hiding under warm clothes and an umbrella was a good disguise if you were following someone which Robin had been today.Andy himself had been in his own beanie hat and thick scarf and carrying a black umbrella when he’d arrived but he wasn’t hiding good looks and strawberry blonde hair under them like Robin was. 

Strike had already brewed her a tea.He must have known she was on her way, as they had a client meeting in an hour.Robin shivered and headed towards the kitchen counter and her tea.Strike handed it to her and the two partners stood shoulder to shoulder, nearly touching, both sipping their tea and listening to the rest of the team.Andy leaned his head against the sofa back, postponing having to head out into the nasty weather again in favor of luxuriating in the feel of being part of a well-oiled machine.A warm, well-oiled machine.

The rota was discussed as Michelle needed to be off on Saturday.Pat made a few adjustments to their cloud-shared schedule while Strike refilled the kettle.Robin shivered again.She was still standing close to Strike so he reached over and pulled her into his arms in a bear hug, kissing the top of her bright red gold head, then kissing her on the lips when she turned her face up and smiled at him.Pat gave a tiny snort, Michelle smiled, Sam rolled his eyes—and Andy realized he’d won the office pool as to when the bosses would tell them they were dating.It gave him a warm feeling.Andy’s face broke into a broad grin and Sam rolled his eyes again.

Otherwise it was a normal wet and chilly Thursday in February at the offices of Strike and Ellacott, Private Detectives. 


End file.
